Thursday, January 8, 2009

Rare “Byrd’s” different fates

With the now traditional frenzy of New Year car auctions in the Valley of the Sun just around the corner, as SPEED will soon be beaming 437hrs of “live,” riveting and spellbinding coverage of the 38th annual Barret-Jackson auction, in which your humble scribe is off to spectate. Alas, it seems only fitting that a few tales ‘O lore regarding lost classic timepieces are making the headlines...

France wants le Automobile returnedInterestingly, a local Seattle Classic Car collector seemingly has found himself in somewhat “Hot water” with the French Government upon the discovery that he’d absconded with one of their nation’s prized possessions... As the 1919 Turcat-Mery wound up in the hands of Charles Morse.

Apparently the Turcat-Mery was once the pride ‘N joy of a descendant of the royal Bourbon dynasty and thus has been deemed a national treasure of France, although it mysteriously made its way to the Netherlands before coming to Seattle and only its public showings at the Pebble Beach’s Concours de Elegance helped bring the vehicles whereabouts to the French governments attention, as Mr. Morse is willing to return it to France as long as he’s reimbursed his $927,500 He’s shelled out for this classic automobile...

Rare 1937 Bugatti foundAmazingly, I had two people tell me about the same automobile discovery this past Saturday whilst attending a family gathering, as it indeed is most rare to hear of another extraordinary “Barn-find,” as perhaps you’ve caught wind of the exceedingly rare 1937 Bugatti just unearthed in a British garage...

And although its whereabouts were reportedly known, the Bugatti Type 57 with Atalante coachwork has sat idle for some 45+ years, with its owner having parked the vehicle in the early 1960’s.

Making the Bugatti Atalante, of which only 17 were ever produced even more valuable is its impeccable history, having originally been owned by Earl Howe, a prominent British race car driver whom won the 1931 24 Heurs du Mans along with being co-founder of the British Racing Drivers Club and is virtually intact in its original condition with all of its original equipment...